IOC: "The IBA will not be involved in any way if boxing is part of LA2028". 'X' / IOC MEDIA

International Olympic Committee (IOC) Sport Director Kit MacConnell said during the press conference held at the IOC headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland, on Tuesday that "we will not be able to have boxing in the LA2028 programme without a new body working in partnership with the IOC".

Speaking at the conference in Lausanne on Tuesday following the IOC Executive Board meeting, IOC Sport Director Kit McConnell said: "The International Boxing Association (IBA) will not be involved in any way if boxing is part of the LA28 Olympic Games. Unless we have a new boxing body working in partnership with the IOC, we will not be able to have boxing in the LA28 programme," he added. 

Following the IOC's decision to remove itself from the governance of boxing in April 2023, boxing remains in a state of uncertainty. A position it has held for decades. The decision was taken because the IBA did not meet the conditions set by the IOC, the organisation stated in a report. 

Since then, boxing has been administered by an independent body attached to the IOC. For Paris 2024, boxing will be included in the Olympic programme and the qualifying events for the Olympic Games will now be the responsibility of the IOC itself.

The press conference was held at the IOC headquarters. X' / IOC MEDIA
The press conference was held at the IOC headquarters. X' / IOC MEDIA

The IBA has appealed the IOC's decision. The case has gone through several stages, culminating in an appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS), which has yet to make a decision. In the absence of a governing body for boxing, World Boxing is seeking recognition from the IOC to represent boxing in the Olympic Games. 

The desire for such recognition has always been expressed by the new organisation. Since its inauguration in April 2023, and after the election of its first President and Board of Directors, it has set itself the goal of becoming the organisation required by the IOC. The IBA is awaiting the CAS decision to finally know what will happen to boxing and its inclusion or exclusion from the Olympic programme 

Following MacConnell's comments, we will have to wait and see what happens after the Paris 2024 Olympic Games, where boxing will be present and the organisation of the competitions will be managed by the IOC itself.